Lime in a Peat-Free Mix?

Should I still use lime in my peat-free mix? Found a great local soil " Organic Mechanics" and it contains compost, forest products, coconut husk fiber, worm castings "Vermitechnology Unlimited" and perlite. Does lime serve another purpose, other than taming the Ph issues of peat?

PH buffering and a source of Cal/Mag. Those are what pop to mind.

EDIT: just reread this and I wrote the wrong thing. All lime provides calcium, but only dolomitic lime also provides magnesium.

lime will change the sweetness of the soil, as stated above, but only dolomitic lime will provide magnesium. Some areas have calcitic lime, which is not a source of magnesium. If you don't want your mix any sweeter than it is, find an alternative source of magnesium. For calcium, bone meal works fine.

I'm also assuming a worm bin fed with green veggies will also be full of calcium. Does organic mechanics have test results? University extensions can do a test of soilless media and look for everything. My feeling is, they will find it has everything, and you don't need to add limestone for quite a few grows.

Use powdered dolomite lime @ 2 tbs./gal. or 1 cup/cubic foot of final mix. Use it.
Burn1

Got a yes and a no. Perhaps it would help if I told you what I have purchased.
How would you use this?
The soil (as described) Organic Mechanics
EWC
Budswell
Super Tea
Liquid Karma
Neptune's Fish (2-4-1)
Neptune's Fish/Seaweed (2-3-1)
Plantation brand Blackstrap Molasses (Unsulphured)
"Pulverized" dolimite lime

The plants are a week old (NL5 from Highgrade seeds)
Looking great with just distilled water and Liquid Karma.
Now mixing my soil for the larger pots and looking for the right mix to cook for the eventual rooted clones. I think I've to keep it simple and would like to keep it this way. I'm kind of new and don't want too many variables, in case something goes wrong.
Thanks!

SenoirDump said:

Got a yes and a no. Perhaps it would help if I told you what I have purchased.
How would you use this?
The soil (as described) Organic Mechanics
EWC
Budswell
Super Tea
Liquid Karma
Neptune's Fish (2-4-1)
Neptune's Fish/Seaweed (2-3-1)
Plantation brand Blackstrap Molasses (Unsulphured)
"Pulverized" dolimite lime

The plants are a week old (NL5 from Highgrade seeds)
Looking great with just distilled water and Liquid Karma.
Now mixing my soil for the larger pots and looking for the right mix to cook for the eventual rooted clones. I think I've to keep it simple and would like to keep it this way. I'm kind of new and don't want too many variables, in case something goes wrong.
Thanks!

Click to expand...

Recipes are in the Beginners sticky.
Burn1

SenoirDump said:

Should I still use lime in my peat-free mix? Found a great local soil " Organic Mechanics" and it contains compost, forest products, coconut husk fiber, worm castings "Vermitechnology Unlimited" and perlite. Does lime serve another purpose, other than taming the Ph issues of peat?

Click to expand...

If you're not using peat, you don't need lime.

been said:

If you're not using peat, you don't need lime.

Click to expand...

Then how will your plants get calcium and magnesium?
Burn1

Lime may be needed for soil mixes that don't contain peat. Compost, organic materials and even some soils benefit from lime. Peat isn't always the only "hot" ingredient.

Coir rocks at a lower pH than peat, soil and soil less mixes. That's probably why yer getting away with no lime.

BurnOne said:

Then how will your plants get calcium and magnesium?
Burn1

Click to expand...

see attachment

DiscoBiscuit said:

Lime may be needed ....

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... but it isn't.

BurnOne said:

BULLPUSSY!
This is organics. Humic acids and biological activity within the soil buffer pH so the plants can take up nutes at extreme pH outside the range required by synthetic fertilizer growers.
Make yourself a good soil mix like LC's Mix and you can throw that pH meter away. This is a proven fact and it's been used by nature forever.
Burn1

Click to expand...

Cal-Mag+
Why didn't you say so?
Burn1

been said:

see attachment

... but it isn't.

Click to expand...

I have no problem reading what your writing. Your emoticon suggests surprise. Would you care to elaborate? My outdoor veg garden tested hot last fall and there is no peat in it, 99.9% tilled top soil. Soil runoff pH tested ~6.2. Approx 200lbs lime added and tilled in hasn't raised pH much at all this spring. This fall and next season will benefit from the added lime. I could truck in a butt load of humus but that would be crazy for my vegetable garden. Lime is the only economical option. Growing in soil pots has even less soil to buffer the acids in ferts and some soil less ingredients. Sorry to disagree but a little detail on your side might benefit your assertion.

DiscoBiscuit said:

I have no problem reading what your writing. Your emoticon suggests surprise. Would you care to elaborate? My outdoor veg garden tested hot last fall and there is no peat in it, 99.9% tilled top soil. Soil runoff pH tested ~6.2. Approx 200lbs lime added and tilled in hasn't raised pH much at all this spring. This fall and next season will benefit from the added lime. I could truck in a butt load of humus but that would be crazy for my vegetable garden. Lime is the only economical option. Growing in soil pots has even less soil to buffer the acids in ferts and some soil less ingredients. Sorry to disagree but a little detail on your side might benefit your assertion.

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What's there to disagree with? Lime is cheap and effective. Rock on with your bad self. :smile:

Some of us prefer all our goodies in the soil beforehand........no additives needed along the way. Easier and cheaper in the long run.

Some of us prefer all our goodies in the soil beforehand........no additives needed along the way. Easier and cheaper in the long run.

Click to expand...

and like burn one says , u can throw your ph meter away , i haven't used one in years

NOT TROLLING...JUST CURIOUS...

NOT TROLLING...JUST CURIOUS...

I was just wondering.... IS IT POSSIBLE TO GROW EXCELLENT MJ WITHOUT ADDING POWDERED DOLOMITE LIME.... OR USING A PH METER... OR R/O WATER... OR PEAT MOSS...OR PERLITE.... OR MOLASSES... OR .....???????

I've used and approve of all of the above, but I sometimes think we get too anal about growing a weed.

I BELIEVE MORE GANJA GARDENS ARE DESTROYED BY TOO MUCH STUFF ADDED, RATHER THAN NOT ENOUGH STUFF ADDED!

MJ has been growing wild without human help for thousands and thousands of years. I doubt that poor folks on a mountain top in Afghanistan, or African/South American/Asian jungle use any of these things. Anybody here wanna smoke some of their reefer or hash? I sure would love to.....

SenoirDump: Your "Organics Mechanics" bagged soil plus all those amendments you've listed will do just fine as long as you don't overwater or overfeed. Follow directions on labels, but use 1/2 strength and don't use all that stuff at the same time.

Add 2 cups EWC, 3-4 cups perlite, 1 Tbl DL, to each gal of soil mix before planting. Moisten soil with water and LK and let it set a week or so.

Veg with Neptune Fish/seaweed 2-3-1 OR Super Tea (Not both at the same time.) Water in between feedings with tap water/LK. Tap water contains Ca, Mg, Fe, etc., and is almost always pH 7+. (Tap water will offset the low pH caused by ferts. Plus you've added a moderate amount of DL in your mix.)

Bloom with Neptune 2-4-1 OR Budswell (Not both, alternate feeding ferts.) Water with LK in between feedings.

If you want to, water occasionally with tea (1/2 cup EWC + 1 tsp molasses/gal) in between watering and feeding. Molasses contains Mg, Ca, Fe. and K. Plus it will feed the bacteria in the EWC and the compost in your Organics Mechanics soil mix. It's the main ingredient in LK... :wink:

Make sure you have plenty of fresh air to provide CO2 and control temps. 85F lights on is ideal. (But don't sweat it...plants successfully grow wild in all kinds of climates/temps.)

Allow soil to dry between watering. Wet/dry cycles provide O2 to roots. You have coir instead of peat, so don't allow it to totally dry. (Use the comparison weight test..dry pot vs wet pot.)

As plants grow, you will have to water and feed more often.

The only thing I would add is source for mychorrizae when transplanting.... Plant Success, AN/EN, or whatever. Compost Tea ala CT Guy or Microbeman would be an excellent choice, IMO.

I can tell by your choice of soil/amendments that you've got a handle on things. Neptunes and Budswell/Super Tea are good ferts. IMO, your soil is as good as Ocean Forest, LC Mix, etc. You just have better control by adding ferts as needed.

I apologize if I'm telling things you already know, just want you to have a successful grow. If you start a grow thread, I'll follow it. I'm curious about HGS gear, as I've never grown his seeds.

HTH Best Of Luck, 'mano!

EDIT: I got so into writing a book, I forgot the question.

Using coir intead of peat you don't need to add DL, especially if using tapwater. (I mentioned several sources of Ca/Mg that you're using, and coir is around pH 5.8-6.5.) But DL is good stuff and you already have it, so use it.